Every New Beginning Comes From Another's End
by Scatterbrain Girl
Summary: Takes place right after "Not Fade Away" Its finished! Its all about a final battle that only Buffy, Angel and Spike can fight, but there's much more. Check it out!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Its Joss's world, we just play in it (aka, I don't own anything, Joss Whedon does, so please don't sue me, I am just doing this for my own enjoyment. There is no money involved, and trust me, I don't have any anyway. I mean, like, none.)  
  
In a back street of Los Angeles, there lay on the ground the corpses of hundreds of demons, and one dragon. The battle was finally over, and good had prevailed, though their triumph was narrowly won. A blue haired woman and dark skinned man had been found by a passerby a block away, where they had been thrown by the giant flying beast before he was brought down. They were currently in the hospital, unconscious and unknowing if their efforts had done any good. In the middle of the carnage lay two men, both undead but close to departing from this world.  
A large beautiful griffon landed near the two men, and gently picked them up with his paws and wings, and laid them on his back. He then took flight and disappeared into the darkness of night.  
He made sure that the route he took would be void of sunlight, for his passengers were very important. His destination was a small island that was surrounded by mist and fog. He landed carefully and called out to the woman that lived in the small fortress, the only dwelling on the tiny piece of land. A light issued forth from the small balcony, and the griffon to flight once more, towards the building. Gracefully, he perched himself on part of the railing, and helped the woman take the two men off of his back. She wore a hooded cape that hid most of her features, but you could tell that her hair was striped in black and white, and her skin was tan in color.  
"Thank you," she said, placing the second man, a blonde, on the floor.  
The griffon made a soft noise.  
"Yes, I know, you should get going. Thank you again for your help. I only wish that I could have done more."  
The griffon made a noise as if to scold the woman for admonishing herself.  
"Yes, I know, I know. Here, take this to your family." She said, handing him a sack, which he threw onto his back. The griffon nuzzled his beak against her shoulder, and she gave his head a soft pat. "Goodbye," she said, a soft smile on her face. With that, the griffon took off and disappeared into the mists One by one she carried the two men into the building, and into a room with no windows. She did not know how long it would take for them to regain consciousness, and she did not want any sunlight to fall upon them. She placed them on the only things that she could in the room, two long tables. They lied there motionless, as if in state. She began getting ready what she would need when they awoke. She walked over to the wall and retrieved a dagger that hung there. With it firmly in her hand, she walked over to a small table, which held two metal goblets. She took the sharp blade and held it near her forearm. With a deep breath, she sliced the blade across her arm and let the blood drip into the two cups. She had to repeat this action a few times until the two vessels were filled. Each time, her arm miraculously healed, leaving only the tiniest scar. She did not have to wait long, though, for the first man to groan and start to awaken. She looked over at them and saw the blonde man stir, his eyes still closed. "Bloody hell, please tell me I'm dead!" he cursed, bringing his hand to his head. "You've been dead of over a hundred years, genius" the other man, the one with the dark hair countered, also getting up slowly and reaching his hand towards his head. "Sod off." The other replied. "Of course you'd have to survive, wouldn't you, Peaches." A grin crept onto the woman's face as she listened to the bantering. It had been a long time since she had heard other voices in her old, lonely fortress. "Did we win?" the dark haired one stated, deciding to ignore the other's retort. "Actually, yes." The woman stated, and with her entering the conversation, the two men stopped and looked directly at her. "Toto, I don't think we're in LA anymore." The dark one said. "Right you are, Dorothy." The blond one remarked. "And who might you be?" The woman sighed. She knew that this was going to be a difficult conversation. "The whole explanation can wait, first, you two need to get your strength back." She stated, turning towards the table and picking up the two goblets. She returned and gave them both to the men, who sniffed it and looked back at her. "Its blood." The dark one said. "Human Blood." The blonde one corrected. "My blood, actually," the woman elaborated. "You're blood." The blonde one said, mildly suspicious. "Yes, my blood. I know you both are vampires. Vampires with souls, actually. One of you is named Angel; the other is William, though you go by Spike. Unfortunately, I don't know which one is which." "Well, you seem to know an awful lot about us then, love, care to return the favor?" "Hmm, English, slightly cocky, an heir of confidence, would you be Spike?" she asked. The dark haired one chuckled at her thumbnail of his "friend". "So then, that would make you Angel, brooding, leader type, little bit of a jealous streak?" Spike laughed out loud. "Alright, so you figured out who is who. So then, who are you?" Angel queried. "Nice Dr Seuss rhyme there, Peaches." Spike quipped. "My name is Keira. I know that that doesn't say much, but right now, you really need to get your strength back." "You're stalling." Spike stated. "Gee, really?" Keira said under her breath. "So, out with it." He replied. "It's a very difficult and long story, that is why I want you to get your strength back first, before anything else." Spike started to bring the goblet up to his lips, but stopped before taking a sip. "Wait a minute, how were you able to loose this much blood and still be walking around perfectly normal?" he noticed that each glass held more than a pint of the viscous red liquid. "Ok, I'll show you, but first, you both have to take at least a sip of the blood." Spike and Angel did as they were told, and drank from their goblets. When the removed them from their lips, she was once again holding the dagger that she had used before up to her arm. "Now, please bring the goblets closer together." To interested to see the result of this particular action to ignore her commands, they both brought their cups closer together. When they did, she once again sliced her arm and let the blood drip into the two vessels before the cut closed up, just like it had done before. "How'd you do that?" Angel asked. "Yeah, you're not a vampire, I can tell." "No, I'm not a vampire, but I cannot die either, can't even injure myself, though I am not sure if someone else can, I have not been able to test that theory. You see, I have been waiting here for 1500 years for you." 


	2. the explaination

Disclaimer: Its Joss's world, we just play in it (aka, I don't own anything, Joss Whedon does, so please don't sue me, I am just doing this for my own enjoyment. There is no money involved, and trust me, I don't have any anyway. I mean, like, none.)  
Authors Note: Ok, here's the second part. Thanks to Spygrrl for reviewing. Just want to say oops sorry for the first chapter's format. Can you tell this is the first story that I put on here? Anyway, thanks to all who are reading it, hope you like it, and its gonna get real interesting as it goes on, I promise.

(starts off where last chap left off.)

"That's a hell of a wait for the likes of us." Angel stated.

"And so it is." She stated There was a slight pause, after which Angel said with a start, "Wait, you said we won. So, what about the prophesy?"

"Yeah, which one of us gets to be real again?"

"All questions will be answered..."

"Yeah, right, and we'll have them now if you don't mind." Spike interrupted.

Keira sighed once again. "Alright. The prophecy you speak of, the Shanshu prophecy had already been fulfilled before I was even alive. You see, I come from a clan of magic-wielders, some of which are given the gift of foresight, as was I. For every civilization, there will be a monumental battle between the paragons of good and bad."

"Yeah, already at that party, twice in fact." Spike stated.

"Those were, well, they were precursors. The true battle is yet to begin."

"Bullocks."

Keira looked down, "I know that you have no reason to believe me, but I am not telling a lie. This prophecy, your prophecy, the one that I saw 1500 years ago, stated that two vampires, both encompassing souls, and the strongest slayer to ever have lived, will be the three champions of their time that are chosen to defeat the three most evil creatures that ever lived."

"Let me guess, The wolf, ram and hart." Angel stated.

"Yes."

"Bloody hell, can't your bosses ever leave us alone?"

"I thought that was who we fought before we were brought here, which, by the way, where are we?" Angel asked.

"You didn't fight them, just their armies. Soon they will realize that the prophecy that they thought was real wasn't and that you are both still alive, and that is why you are here. You see, this is a magical Island. It is not visible to any and it continues to move though the oceans. My clan lived here for years, distancing themselves from others so that they could continue their traditions and magical teachings. I am the last of them. I have been alone on this island for 1200 years. These bands," she showed them the wristbands, made of gold, which were on both of her arms, "are here to keep me from harm, from aging, and from leaving this place. If ever I step out of here, I will be thrown back in. I do not need to eat, rarely need to sleep, and will heal from any minor wounds, as you saw before. From what I know, I am the link to your prophecy being fulfilled, and your, or rather, the reward, being given to the winner."

"Reward?" Angel asked.

"Yes, the final part of the prophecy states that the side that wins will have their greatest wish, their deepest desire, fulfilled."

The two men sat in silence.

"Which is why, "she stated solemnly, "you have to win. I've told you all enough for now. Get some rest. Sunlight will be here soon. The fortress is free for you to see. I'll leave you two alone now." Keira walked out of the room quickly and made her way to her own quarters.  
  
When she was safe in her own room, Keira took a long, shaky breath. She had been waiting so long for this to happen, but now that it had begun, she was becoming scared. Because of her telepathic abilities, she could feel the emotions coming off of the two vampires in waves, and none of them were good. Anger, frustration, pain, all of them whirled around her as though she was stuck in a vortex. It almost made her knees buckle, and she began feeling sick to her stomach. How she wished that she could have left her desolate island and fought alongside the two men, to help them when they truly needed it, but no, because of someone else's decision over a thousand years ago, she was unable to even leave the building in which she dwelled.  
  
She walked over to a table, which held a large book, and opened it forcefully. "Why didn't you tell me it was going to be this hard?" she asked it.

'What do you mean?' it wrote back.

"You know what I mean. I can feel how hard all of this has been on them, everything that they have gone through, and I just had to tell them that it isn't over yet."

'Nothing in life is ever simple, Keira.'

"How would you know, all you are is paper and binding."

'But I am also you're only link to the outside world, don't forget that.'

"How can I when you never fail to remind me. You have no idea how hard it is to live by yourself, with your only constant companion being a book with an attitude problem."  
  
"Well, if you are going to be that way about it, how would you like if I never said anything to you again.'

"Alright, alright. Look, its just, this is the first time that another living, ok, almost living being has been in my presence, other than the griffons, and they rarely come around any more. I haven't felt another being's emotions or heard their thoughts since the last of my people died 1200 years ago. They have so much hurt inside them. I just, I wish that there was some way that I could take it from them, that I could help them more. I wish that there was some way that I could...just do something."

Keira sat down on her bed, and placed her head in her hands. All of these things that she had been holding back since she knew that they would be coming, were finally starting to come to the surface, and she knew that she had to keep her cool if she was going to be any help to them at all. Unbeknownst to her, however, someone heard her tirade to the mystical book, from just out in the hallway. Spike, who had been searching the fortress purely out of curiosity, had heard her speaking.


	3. Questioning and some answers

Disclaimer: Its Joss's world, we just play in it (aka, I don't own anything, Joss Whedon does, so please don't sue me, I am just doing this for my own enjoyment. There is no money involved, and trust me, I don't have any anyway. I mean, like, none.)  
  
Aha, chapter 3, and I finally figured out how to make the story look right. Ok, for all wondering when Buffy was gonna enter, see the end of this chap. Hope you like it!  
  
Spike walked towards an open door with a thoughtful look on his face. He walked through the doorway only to discover that he was now in a rather impressive library, and that Angel was already there.

"Check this place out, there is so many books here." Angel said to him, without looking up.

When Spike didn't answer, Angel took his eyes off of the tome that he had been paging through, and looked at the other man.

"Well, that's not a look that's usually seen on your face."

"Oh, bugger off." Spike replied, looking at Angel with mild annoyance.

Spike then took a look at the walls that we totally covered with books of different shapes and sizes. Truly, he had never seen a library like this before, and was probably just as amazed about is as Angel was.

"So what is it?" Angel asked, not letting the look that had been pasted on Spike's face go without finding out why it was there

. "Like I should tell you."

Spike stated, walking over to a pile of books and picking up the top one. He turned it around in his hand and opened it, flipping through its pages before putting it back down.

"Whatever you say." Angel stated, looking back down at his book.

"Its that girl." Spike stated, leaning against a table.

"What, Keira or something like that?"

"Yeah. Heard her talking to herself in a room not far from here. Seems pretty upset."

Angel looked up from his book once more and glanced over at Spike. "Hmm, so that soul in there is actually working, huh?"

Spike got up and started for the door.

"Hey, c'mon, just kidding."

"Yeah, right, whatever, mate, but there's something with that girl, I'm telling you."

"She's not psycho or anything, you think."

"Nothing like that. She said, said something about feeling pain, from us, and that she wished she could help more. You think she's some type of empath or something?"

"With what we've seen, I wouldn't doubt it."  
  
Meanwhile, as the vampires were settling in to their new surroundings on the island, Buffy Summers and her sister Dawn were walking along the canal lining streets of Venice.

"So, you both really broke up, huh?" Dawn asked her sister.

"Yeah, I don't know, its just didn't feel right all of a sudden, you know what I mean. I mean, he was nice and all, but it just felt weird."

"I get it." Her sister said, nodding her head.

"So, what are we going to do now?" Dawn asked.

"Well, knowing how our lives tend to turn out, I'm sure there is some sort of fight that we have to get to sooner or later." Buffy quipped.

As if coming in on cue, a snow white dove gently flew down towards the two girls, perched itself on Buffy's arm, and held out its leg, onto which a scrolled note was attached.

"Hmm, how very Harry Potter." Buffy stated, slightly confused while taking the note from the bird.

When the note had been taken, the bird instantly flew away and it seemed as though it disappeared.

"What does it say?" Dawn asked, trying to see the note over her sister's shoulder.

"All it says is that there's a boat waiting for us and that its safe, and don't worry. Great, see, I told you there was something that we were going to get roped into."


	4. trust and letters on a boat

Disclaimer: As I said before, it all belongs to Joss, I own nothing, and have no money anyway.  
  
Author's Note:Thanks for the reviews, still to Spygrrl, but also to Blondegirl and Stacy75. I was wondering when I first put this story up if people were actually gonna read it, I guess so. Thanks a bunch. You guys are the reason I'm continuing with this! Ok, a little warning, the end of this chapter might be a little emotional. Just thought I should warn you. For all those Angel fans, don't worry, there will be more of him than what is there already. Ok, that's all from me. Enjoy!!  
  
When the dove flew back and nodded to Keira through a window, she knew that the last member of this team was now on her way. The small bird then disappeared. Much like the griffon had before. Keira let out a soft sigh. Nothing ever really stayed for a very long time. It seemed to be her curse. Even the people she had known, the members of her clan, seemed to leave her as soon as they came into her life, though, when you live for eternity, or at least what seemed like it, even the normal life span of a person seemed relatively short. It was a plague that had killed them, and no matter how hard she had tried, she was powerless to stop it, and she saw everyone die in front of her. Of all the memories that she had, that one was the most painful. She knew as well, that even when this feat had been finished, that these people would again leave her, and she would be by herself once again, and probably for the rest of eternity, until the end of the world really did come. She watched the sun set as she thought of all of this, and it wasn't much longer after that that one of her guests had come into the room that she had been occupying. It was pretty much a nothing room, just a few chairs and one window that looked out on the small cliffs that bordered the water on that side of her island. She didn't even have to look to tell who it was. Even though they had only been there for what may not have even been a day, she was able to detect each of their own signatures. The two men each gave off a different feeling that made them both unique.  
  
"Hello, Spike."  
  
"Hello there. Enjoying the view."  
  
"Not really, it hasn't changed much in the past millennia." Keira answered, as she turned around and looked at the blonde vampire. "Is there something I can do for you?"  
  
"Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing."  
  
"Really, why is that?"  
  
"I figured you would know, being that you are and empath."  
  
That gave her a start.  
  
"Um, I'm not an empath. I'm a telepath."  
  
"Figured that was it." He said nodding his head before continuing. "You're not going into my head or anything, are you?"  
  
"Oh no. Don't worry. I only read people's thought when they give me permission too, or if I'm made to, and then I really don't like doing it."  
  
"How could you tell it was me then?"  
  
"Well, the two of you give off, well, your own vibes that I can pick up. I guess in a way I am empathic."  
  
"Right, then."  
  
"Why did you want to ask if you could do something for me?" Keira asked.  
  
"Oh, that well, I heard you talking to yourself yesterday."  
  
Oh, I wasn't, um, talking to myself, it was to a book. I know it sounds crazy, but it is true." "Well, it does sound crazy, trust me, I was insane for a while."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah, back when I got my soul back...wait, are you making me tell you these things?"  
  
"No, I swear, I'm not." She said, surprised. "If I was in your head, you'd know it. I've been told it kind of tingles."  
  
"Tingles, right, I'll remember that."  
  
"You don't feel very comfortable around me, do you?"  
  
"No offence, love, but I've had enough people poking around in my head to last a lifetime, even a vampires."  
  
"I won't I promise, unless you ask. But I do hope that there is some way that I can make you trust me."  
  
Spike looked up from his seat and stared right at her pale gray eyes. He tried his best to tell whether or not she was lying, and all he saw was complete innocence. Something in them reminded him of Willow, before Tara died, and Dawn, and Fred, and even a little bit of Buffy. All the strong, good women that he had known and that had helped make him a better person, even if he still was a demon. Yes, even Willow, he thought now, with her wiccan ways, had somehow helped make him a better person, just by knowing him.  
  
"I do trust you." He said simply.  
  
Keira smiled her first true smile for a very long time.  
  
"Thank you." She said softly.  
  
Dawn and Buffy had found an old ship, something that reminded her of those galleon rides at small amusement parks, waiting for them at a secluded dock, the dock number that had been on the note the bird had left. Buffy knew that this was probably a really bad idea, but she didn't get the heey- geebies when she boarded the vessel, so she thought she might as well at least see where it went. When they boarded, Dawn and Buffy laid down their small bags, which contained a change of clothing, extra stakes, you know, the essentials, down on the deck and looked around. There was a small room type enclosure that had different foods on a table, and there was no other person to be seen. On the center sail post, she saw another note which simply read, "This ship will magically take you to your destination, please make yourself comfortable."  
  
"Alrighty then." Buffy said.  
  
Buffy walked over to the rail, and sat down leaning against it, she heard a crinkling in her pocket, and forgot that she had stuck a letter in there when she had left her hotel. She pulled it out and saw the typed address of where she had been living in Rome. She was a little surprised to see that it had been sent overnight delivery, but decided not to think too much about it. Along the back of the envelope, a Wolfram and Hart envelope, there was typed the sentence, "Only open when you are ready." She figured that it was from Angel, given the return address, and she pretty much decided that now was as good a time as any to read it. She opened the envelope and out fell two letters, one bearing her name and one bearing Dawn's.  
  
"Hey Dawnie, come over here, would you?"  
  
"Yeah, sure." Dawn said, walking over to her sister and sitting down in front of her.  
  
"We seem to both have some mail." She said, handing her the letter that was her sister's while she unfolded her own. The letter wasn't from who she thought it was.  
  
_Dear Buffy,  
I know that this letter will be hard for you, probably because its  
hard for me to write. It is me, its Spike, and I am alive again, at  
least I am while I am writing this letter, but I am not sure how long  
I will be. I know that I should have told you as soon as I was again,  
but I couldn't. Angel and I both agreed that you should be able to  
move on. Yes, believe it or not, Angel and I did agree on something.  
Something big is about to happen. We really don't know what, but we  
do know its coming. Don't worry about us, though, we always seem to  
make it through the tough ones. Who knows, maybe its bad luck. Just  
kidding, love.  
If I never get to see you again, I just want you to know that I did  
love you, very much, and right now, all I ever want is for you to be  
happy. You deserve it. You have been through so much in your life,  
and you really don't deserve to have gone through so much pain. I  
know I was the cause of a lot of it, and I know you have said that you  
have forgiven me, but I honestly wish that there was some way that I  
could take all of those things back.  
You have meant more to me than anybody. I know now that whatever  
there was between us probably wouldn't have lasted very long, even if  
I had lived through that battle. But I want you to know that I  
cherish those memories and I will forever. You made me want to be a  
better person, you're the reason I have my soul, the reason that I  
fight on the good side now. You gave me a very precious gift, and I  
will hold on to it forever. I will never forget your compassion.  
You take care of yourself, and always remember that you helped save  
someone who otherwise would have been lost in the dark forever. No  
matter what, you will always be my Slayer.  
  
Spike.  
  
_Buffy took a deep breath when she read it, and looked over at Dawn, who was staring at her own letter.  
  
_Dear Dawn  
  
My little Nibblet. You were the first person to ever show any kind of  
kindness to this demon. And in turn, I was allowed to watch you grow  
up and become a beautiful young woman, not that you are grown up yet,  
little bit. You still have a lot of learning to do. Don't forget to  
listen to your sister. She may piss you off some times, but she does  
know best. Not that I really have to tell you that, do I?  
Of all the Scoobies, you always amazed me. No wonder that deep down  
inside you are this big ball of energy. Some times I even think it  
starts to come out.  
I will always miss you, Nibblet. You really were my first friend, and  
I will treasure that. Please don't ever forget me.  
  
As always,  
Spike._


	5. chap 5

Disclaimer: Its Joss's world, we just play in it (aka, I don't own anything, Joss Whedon does, so please don't sue me, I am just doing this for my own enjoyment. There is no money involved, and trust me, I don't have any anyway. I mean, like, none.)  
  
Authors Note: Thanks again Blondigirl and Stacy75. I'm glad you liked the letters, thats my favorite part of the story so far, but there is some good stuff coming. Ok this chapter is a little different, please tell me what you think of it, because if it doesn't seem worthy enough, it will get scrapped and rewritten. By the way, I am my own worst critic, so don't take that sentence as a reason not to read this chapter. I hope you all like it.  
  
Keira had left Spike, telling him that she was going to check on Angel, and make sure that everything was all right. In an act of trust, she brought out to him her mystical book, the one that answered her questions and had been her only companion up until that time. She explained to him how to use it, and then she left him alone with it. She really wasn't sure what he was going to ask it, or how he would react to some of the things that had been written in there, but if they were ever going to trust one another, like she was sure that they all had to do for them to conquer the evil that they were going to be facing, that there was no better time than this time to let that all start. She walked down the hallway towards the library, which is where Spike had said that Angel had been spending most of his time. She entered the room quietly, and saw the vampire pouring over one of the very old tomes that called that room their home.

"Hello Angel."

"Oh, hey Keira, I didn't hear you come in."

"That was kind of my point, I didn't want to startle you."

"Thanks," he said, giving her a grin, "this is quite a collection you have here."

"Yes, it is. Thanks. There was a bookbinder that was part of my clan, before they died, and he was wonderful at creating them. There are even special ones in here, that whenever something new comes about, as in a language or technology or what have you, it writes it down. That's how I learned English, why I can speak it to you. He gave them a bewitchment or something, said some kind of spell over them, and they magically write all their information down when it comes about. Its quite interesting actually."

"Well, that explains some of the books that I have found."

"So, what book are you reading now?"

"Well, to be honest, its about you, or rather, your people. I found it hidden somewhere. Its some kind of history of your clan, going back to when it was first established. It ends a little bit after you are first mentioned, though."

"So, you were doing research on me, huh? Yes, after I had the prophesy, the writer of that particular tome didn't want it to fall into the wrong hands or ever leave the island, you know, because of it, so he just kind of stopped. They only lived a few more generations after that, though. I should have finished it, but I really didn't have the heart."

"Hmm. Spike said he could tell you were a little, well, down, I guess."

"Not that much, its nothing, but he did let me know. The concern was very nice."

Angel kind of shrugged when she said Spike had been nice.

"There's a little bit of animosity between you two, isn't there?"

Angel looked around the room, "You could kind of say that."

"Its funny, because you seem to both have a connection to each other."

"We do." He said, matter of factly, "other than both having loved the same woman. You see, I'm his, well, his grandsire. I'm much older than he is, you know, vampire wise and all."

"You've had your soul longer?"

He gave her a questioning look, "are you really an empath?"

Keira sighed, "Here I go again. No, actually, I am a telepath, and no, I am not reading your mind right now. If I did, you would know it. I could tell in your eyes."

"In my eyes?"

"Yeah, I can see in them that you have had more time to deal with all of the emotions and thoughts that have come from regaining your soul after being a demon. All of those in Spike seem to be a lot closer to the surface. It's also how I can tell which one of you is which without even looking. You both, I don't know, emotionally feel different."

"Cocky and brooding, right?"

"Ok, those were not my words. That came from a book."

"A book?" "Magic book, my only link to the outside world until you two showed up, kept me briefed on things happening in the world that I would ask it. It had said that there were two vampires with souls and described them. If you don't believe me, Spike is looking at the book right now. Ask him."

"You're trusting Spike with that book?"

"Yes, I am trusting him, and I do trust him, just as much as I trust you. I can see the goodness and, well, the humanity in both of you, even if you can't see it in each other." She stated, giving him a knowing glance before exiting the library with a wave.

Keira walked back to the room where she had left Spike. When she reached the doorway, she stood just outside of it, and watched him flipping through the large book. She saw him scanning a few pages, then flipping it farther, then stopping and reading more. He stopped on a certain page, and began reading it thoroughly. She realized that they were the most recent entries, and she knew that there was no turning back now. He would find out what was really bothering her. She slid down the wall and leaned against it, waiting for him to finish. It seemed like an eternity before she heard a deep, but unneeded sigh, and the thud of a closing book. She quickly stood up and walked back into the room.

"So, finished reading?" He nodded, and then looked up at her.

"Take a seat, would you?" he asked.

She walked over and sat in the chair that was opposite of his.

"You've asked this book a lot about us, haven't you?" he asked.

"Yeah." She said, shrugging. "I asked it a bit about you, too."

"Really, what did it say?"

"That you were incredibly intelligent, but amazingly naïve."

"Stupid book." She muttered.

Spike chuckled, but then turned serious again.

"That pain that you feel from us, its not like it isn't there for a reason."

"But why should you be carrying it around?"

"Do you even know why we have our souls?"

"No, not really."

Spike sighed and looked right into her eyes. "When we were soulless creatures, we did a lot of evil things, and now we aren't proud of any one of them."

"But, you're different now, why still hold on to it? I almost feel like you are friends, why can't I try to relieve some of it?"

"You don't really want us as friends."

"Why not?"

"Do you know what its like to be a vampire?"

Keira shook her head

. "I really don't believe I am going to say this, but have a look. Go ahead, I am permitting you, read my mind."

"Are you...are you sure?"

Spike nodded once.

"Alright."

Keira placed one hand on his forehead and closed her eyes. A barrage of images started racing through her mind; William as a boy, sitting alone in a school yard, older, studiously writing in a book, that fateful day when he was changed, staking his mother, his toils with Dru, Angelus, Angel, killing the slayers, Sunnydale, meeting Buffy, Dru leaving him twice, Harmony, Dawn, Anya, the Scooby's, being with Buffy, getting his soul, living in the basement, stopping the hellmouth, on and on and on they flew past, most in some sort of chronological order, but so many that it took her time to comprehend everything after she saw it. When she reached the end, she sat back, her eyes still closed, processing everything that she just saw, all through his eyes. The evil he caused, the pain he caused, but also the loneliness that he felt, the rejection he had lived through, the sacrifice of his life that he had made. When everything had sunk in, against her will, a tear fell down her face.

"Oh Spike." She whispered, looking at him sadly.

"You see what I mean, we deserve what we are feeling."

"I, I don't know. Ok, you do deserve to feel remorse for what you did when you were evil, but you're not that same person now."

"Funny, look like him."

"Angelus and Angel, they are two different entities, right? I mean, Angel would never do what Angelus does, would he?"

"No, probably not."  
  
"Then why should it be any different with you? And the pain before you were changed...you, you're different now, you are no longer the demon that did those things."

"Buffy's said the same thing."

"She's right. I still don't see why I can't be your friend. You need them." Keira stood up, leaned over and kissed Spike on the forehead. Spike looked down, and amazingly, he found that he was at a loss for words.


	6. the slayer arrives

Disclaimer: Its Joss's world, we just play in it (aka, I don't own anything, Joss Whedon does, so please don't sue me, I am just doing this for my own enjoyment. There is no money involved, and trust me, I don't have any anyway. I mean, like, none.)  
  
Author's Note: I am so glad the people actually like reading this story:). Its the first story that I have ever posted, I think I said that before, but anyway, its cool that you like it. Just for your own info, if you want to know, Keira got her name a) because when I heard it (from the girl in Pirates of the Caribbean") I thought it sounded like a pretty cool name and b) it sounds as though it could be centuries old, like someone born when she would have been would actually have had that name. OK, with that said, on with the story.

The next few days, or nights, rather, passed with few incidences. Keira acted as the go between for the two vampires, seeing as they still did not very much enjoy being in each other's company. She found that she and Spike talked a lot, about many things. He finally got out of her the fear she had of being alone for the rest of her life, for as long as that was, stuck on the island for eternity. One particular night, she came walking into the library, where both men happened to be (well, Angel was there because he wanted to be, Spike was there because Keira told him to be there), carrying her large magical book.  
  
"I have some news for you both." She stated.  
  
"Really?" Angel asked.  
  
"The slayer is coming tonight, at least that's what the books says. Buffy Summers will be arriving before sunrise."  
  
"I knew it had to be her." Spike stated.  
  
"Huh?" Keira asked.  
  
"Buffy. When you said that it would be the strongest slayer that ever lived, it had to be Buffy, there's no one else it could have been." He stated.  
  
"That's true, its not like it would have been Faith." Angel agreed.  
  
"Wait, did you two just agree on something?" Keira quipped, looking at the two men with a grin on her face.  
  
"It happens once in a while, when he's thinking clearly." Angel said.  
  
"Oh, sod off." Spike said, throwing a small piece of something, Keira thought it looked like lint from a pocket, at Angel.  
  
"Boys." Keira said under her breath while rolling her eyes.  
  
The two vampires kept watch on the coasts of the island for the ship that would be carrying their beloved friend. Secretly, Spike wanted Angel to spot it first, because he had no idea how Buffy would have reacted to his letter, if she even got it at all. He already knew what it was when he heard footsteps behind him.  
  
"Spike? She's here." Keira said.  
  
"Thanks." He said, following her out towards the door of the fortress. When they reached it, they both saw that Angel was halfway towards the docked ship, but Spike hesitated at the entrance.  
  
"Go, Spike."  
  
"But..."  
  
"If she really is your friend, she'll be happy to see you, go on." She said, patting him lightly on the back.  
  
Spike looked back at her as he walked out. All he gave was a small smile, but that was thanks enough for Keira. His pace quickened as he got closer, as he saw the two female passengers get off of the ship, and Angel hug the blonde one. He heard the voice before he even comprehended whom he saw with Buffy.  
  
"Spike!" Dawn yelled gleefully, running full tilt towards the vampire and practically tackling him in a tight embrace.  
  
"Hey Nibblet." He said, smiling as he hugged her back, happy to see the younger Summers again. "You sure have grown up, look at you." He added, looking at her in amazement and putting his hand on the top of her head.  
  
Dawn smiled, but then punched him in the gut.  
  
"Why didn't you at least tell me that you were alive?" she demanded, crossing her arms.  
  
"Bit." He said, rubbing his stomach and furrowing his brow. The punch in no way hurt, but it sure surprised him. "I just wanted you two to get on with your lives, I..."  
  
"We understand, Spike." Buffy said, walking up to him. "We got your letters. Thanks."  
  
All Spike could do was look at her with a nervous smile. Buffy smiled back and gave him a hug.  
  
"Its good to see you again." She said.  
  
"You too, Slayer."  
  
"Wait, letters?" Angel asked.  
  
"I'll explain it to you later." Spike said brushing him off. "Right now, I am sure Keira will want to talk to you."  
  
"Ok, you know, that brings up a very good point. Were you two all involved in all of this, you know, the magical boat thingy and all?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Actually, no, but we all have something to do with this. It's a long story. Keira, she lives on this island, she's going to explain it all to you when we get to the fortress." Angel explained.  
  
"I certainly hope so, because if I am going to have to do some ass kicking, I want to know as soon as possible." Buffy stated, walking purposefully up to the building that was in front of them.  
  
"Same old Buffy," Angel stated.  
  
"Yeah." Spike agreed.  
  
The two vampires and Dawn followed the slayer up the hill, the younger girl with her arms around the blonde vamp's right arm. 


	7. Chap 7

Disclaimer: Its Joss's world, we just play in it (aka, I don't own anything, Joss Whedon does, so please don't sue me, I am just doing this for my own enjoyment. There is no money involved, and trust me, I don't have any anyway. I mean, like, none.)  
  
Author's Note: Hmm, I finished chapter 7. I actually really like this one. Thanks all of you who keep reading this. That means a lot. For everyone waiting for a Buffy part, here it is. I hope you all like it.

The room was silent for a while after Keira had finished explaining the story to Buffy and Dawn. She was a little surprised to see the younger Summers, but with a look from Spike, she knew that there would not be a problem with it. She started to feel the room grow uncomfortably silent, and was about to say something, but someone was quicker than she was.  
  
"So, you've been waiting here how long?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Technically, around 1500 years."  
  
"Wow, how old are you?" Dawn asked, amazed.  
  
"Lets see," Keira said, looking up and counting to herself, "one thousand, five hundred and...twenty six." She finished finally.  
  
"Wow, you look good for your age." Dawn said.  
  
"It's the wristbands." She stated, given that she had explained the whole part about how they worked to them before hand, when she was explaining the prophecy.  
  
"You know, no offence or anything, but how am I to know that this is all for real?" Buffy queried.  
  
Keira sighed; she knew that this was going to be difficult, just as it had been when she had explained everything to the vampires. The world had become so untrusting.  
  
"She's telling the truth, Slayer." Spike said, seriously.  
  
"And how are you so sure, Spike?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I'll...I'll explain it all to you later, alright?" He stated.  
  
Buffy looked at him, and started to get ready to argue, but closed her mouth instead.  
  
"Now," Keira began again, "There is something else that I have been saving to tell all of you until you were all together. There is something important that I have to show you."  
  
With that, she led them out of the room in which they occupied and to a locked door.  
  
"There is something very important on the other side of this door. I am hoping that what it is will help all of you to be successful in this, battle."  
  
She quickly unlocked the door and took the torch that had been at the side of the entrance and brought it into the room, lighting numerous candles and torches that were placed around it. When the room was lit, they all saw that what the room held was a large arsenal of weapons. All of them were swords and daggers of some type, all very pointy and harsh looking weapons.  
  
"Wow, where did you get all of these?" Angel said, amazed.  
  
"I made them." Keira stated.  
  
"You made all of these?" Spike said, eyes wide as they scanned the room, "You've been holding out on me, love."  
  
"Well, I can't divulge all of my secrets at once," she said coyly.  
  
"Where'd you get all the metal?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Before my clan died out, they used to acquire ore, when I was confined to the fortress, I would ask them to let me have some of it, so that I could keep my skills up. Every month they would bring me a supply. It finally ran out about 200 years ago; so I was taking some of the old ones that I made that were not very good, and melted them down to make new ones. I stopped about five years ago. I figured, you could use some of these when you would finally arrive."  
  
"Do you know how to use any of these things?" Buffy asked, picking up a rather ornate looking, and also sharp, sword.  
  
"Well, yeah, actually." Keira answered, picking up a dagger that was close to her and walking to the wall. 'You see the knot in that beam on the far wall?" she asked, pointing out one of the beams on the wall opposite from where she was standing.  
  
"Yeah." Buffy said.  
  
"Keep an eye on it, and everyone, back up."  
  
They all got out of the way, and with a deep breath, Keira turned spun the dagger in her hand and threw it at the beam. The point landed directly in the middle of the knot that she had pointed out before.  
  
"Impressive." Angel said.  
  
"It's the only thing I ever really learned, considering there really wasn't anyone else here to practice with."  
  
"It could come in handy." Buffy said, nodding.  
  
Keira smiled. "Thanks, now, I will go and get your rooms ready. Would one of you bring in some rocks from outside?"  
  
"Sure, I'll get some." Angel said, walking out with her.  
  
"Thank you. I'll see you shortly."  
  
The two of them walked out, leaving only Spike and the sisters in the weapons room.  
  
"There's something odd about her." Buffy stated when they were alone.  
  
"She's a telepath." Spike stated, leaning against the wall.  
  
"Gee, that's reassuring." Buffy stated.  
  
"You mean she can read our minds any time she wants?" Dawn asked.  
  
"She could, but she won't. She told me she only does it when she has permission. It kind of tingles too, so you know when she is doing it."  
  
"Wait, how do you know?"  
  
"Because she's done it to me." Spike stated.  
  
"You? The man who's had governments playing around in his brain, let alone the first evil of all time, let her take a peak into your brain? Are you sure she hasn't brainwashed you?" Buffy countered.  
  
"She's not like that Buffy, and it was my idea to let her."  
  
"Yeah, that really doesn't make me feel any better, Spike."  
  
"Look, she can feel our emotions. I caught her talking to this mystical book, she'll have to show that to you later, and she was talking about feeling our pain, Angel's, and mine. I told her it was there for a reason, you know, because of all the things that we have done."  
  
"But you were two different people back then, Spike, you didn't have your souls."  
  
"That's exactly what she said. We've talked every night since we've shown up here, love, and trust me, you can trust her. I know all of this sounds crazy, but you can trust her."  
  
"How are you so sure, Spike?"  
  
"Bit, could you leave us alone for a minute?" Spike asked.  
  
"But..."  
  
"Please?" he said, looking at her earnestly.  
  
"Oh, alright." Dawn stated, sulking out of the room.  
  
When she had gone, Spike looked intently at Buffy. "I looked at her, Buffy. I looked into her eyes, and do you know what I saw?"  
  
Buffy shook her head.  
  
"I saw a part of Dawn, and Fred, and Red, and even you. I saw a part of each of the strong women that I have known throughout my existence that have helped me to become better, more human. I can trust her because I can trust all of you, even Willow at times... sometimes."  
  
"Oh, Spike, see what you've done." Buffy said, waving her hand at her face, "you made me act all, girly."  
  
"Well, I suppose that that's better than acting like other things." He joked.  
  
"Spike!" Buffy stated, but she started giggling, killing the annoyed affect that she was trying.

"C'mon, Slayer." He said, leading her out of the room.


	8. talking at night

Disclaimer: Its Joss's world, we just play in it (aka, I don't own anything, Joss Whedon does, so please don't sue me, I am just doing this for my own enjoyment. There is no money involved, and trust me, I don't have any anyway. I mean, like, none.)  
  
Author's note: Wow, two chapters in one day! Ok, I got spike-inspired today for some reason, so here is a Spike filled chapter. Hope you like it.  
  
The rocks that she had asked for, they all found out a bit later, were for her to transform them into food. It was just one of the powers that he people possessed, transformations of one object into another. Buffy had commented to Keira that if she should ever get off of the island, that she should show Willow this trick. It would sure save them a lot of money on groceries. It was past midnight when everyone had retired to his or her rooms, or at least that was what Keira had thought when she went to the only terrace that existed on the fortress. She sat down on a small stone bench that rested near the railing and looked out at the moon's rays shimmering off of the water.  
  
"Catching some fresh air there, Stripes?" Spike said from behind her.  
  
"So it's Stripes now?" he asked back, good-naturedly.  
  
"Well, you know, it seems to fit." He said, picking up a few strands of her black and white hair and showing it to her before sitting down next to her.  
  
"Yeah, I guess it does. This has always been my favorite time of day."  
  
"Really? I never figured most people really liked the night, too many unseemly things roaming about that could cause trouble."  
  
"Well, I don't see any here." She said, smiling at him before turning her gaze back at the water.  
  
"Possibly not. I talked to Buffy, things are good now."  
  
"That's good." She paused. "Things are getting close now. It won't be much longer."  
  
"Figured as much. As a matter of fact, I thought it would have happened before now."  
  
"Really, why?"  
  
"Once those three realize that we weren't dead along with their armies, they'd probably come looking for us."  
  
"I have a lot of magic, but I don't think I could keep them from finding out any sooner."  
  
"How'd you mean?"  
  
"When Brutus, the griffon, came to get you, he sent a certain spell from me to keep you're whereabouts hidden, but now that the slayer has shown up, I don't think they'll be fooled for much longer. I don't know how to help, Spike, I don't know what I can do to make sure that you defeat them. All of these centuries and every tactic I come up with never seem to play out right. The book and I, we've gone over hundreds of them, nothing works. I can't let them defeat you, I can't."  
  
"You've done a lot, Keira, just by being here and telling us what you know."  
  
"But it's not enough. My whole life, my whole existence is to make sure that you win. That's all I am here for, and if I can't figure it out, what good am I? All I am is some messenger, someone to make sure you know what you are supposed to do. Hell, someone could have left you a note here instead of me, and you would have found the same thing. Why would my people, people who have been dead for ages now, choose that I should stay alive just to give some news to all of you? I have to help you win, that's the only thing that I can think of. Then, maybe...maybe I would have had some meaning to this miserable existence."  
  
"Hey, c'mon now, you have meaning here. You made me believe what you told us. Who's to say that I would have believed some note? And who's to say that that note wouldn't have fallen into the wrong hands? I could very well be dust right now. And who would have helped me these past few days think through some of those things that keep running around in my head, all of those people that I hurt?"  
  
"You said Buffy told you the same thing that I did."  
  
"Yeah, she did, but I was ready to leave my self out of her life for the rest of hers. Before what happened in LA, I wrote her a letter, telling her that I hope she can get on with her life. Yeah, I loved her, I still do in some ways, but that doesn't mean that I should have shown up on her doorstep with all my problems laid out in front of me. I didn't even want to do that to you, but you poked and prodded until you got those things out of me. We've been talking every night since we got here, and each morning, before the sun comes up, I somehow have gotten through something that has been plaguing my memory ever since I got this bloody soul back. You did that, Keira, you're more than just a messenger, you are helping, you just can't see it."  
  
"I'm sorry." She said, lowering her head  
  
"No need to be. Bloody hell, when did I become a councilor?"  
  
"A soul is there for more things than just feeling sorry."  
  
"See, there you go."  
  
Keira smiled sadly, "What am I going to do when you leave here?"  
  
"Who says you can't come along?"  
  
"These, remember?" she said, holding up her arms.  
  
"We'll figure out how to get those off after we defeat the three stooges."  
  
"The three what?"  
  
"If we ever get you off of this island, we're going to have to introduce you to a lot." "Thanks." Keira said, kissing his cheek. "I'm sorry, I really should stop doing that, it just seems to be a reflex."  
  
"That's alright." Spike said, giving her a kiss on the cheek herself. 


	9. the calm before the storm?

Disclaimer: Its Joss's world, we just play in it (aka, I don't own anything, Joss Whedon does, so please don't sue me, I am just doing this for my own enjoyment. There is no money involved, and trust me, I don't have any anyway. I mean, like, none.)  
  
Author's Note: Ok, I know I should have probably explained this in the first chapter, but hey, look at my login name;). Ok, so anyway, to explain about this story, I had had a dream, and this is what it was basically about, though I have embellished just a bit on it, seeing as all of the dream that I can remember was about 5 minutes. Anway, so that is where it comes from. Thanks to all of you that are reviewing, I am really glad that you like it. I have to say that I am sorry, though, to StakeMeSpike04, unfortunately, whereas I like Spuffy stories and the whole Spuffiness thing in general, this isn't a Spuffy story. There definately is a deap friendship between them in here, though. I hope you aren't too disappointed. Ok, I think I probably have bored you long enough with this note, I'll let you get on with the story then.

Chapter 9

Training started the next evening, led by Buffy. Now that they had a whole arsenal at their disposal, they could start working out how to fight the evil that lay ahead. Keira watched in awe in the doorway as Buffy, Spike and Angel practiced on each other in the fields outside of the fortress; from clashing swords together to hand to hand combat. Spike and Angel seemed a little too eager to practice the latter out on each other. Dawn watched next to her, when she wasn't handing out the different weapons that they had brought out to use.  
  
"Its amazing." Keira stated, not letting her eyes off of them.  
  
"Yeah, you can't believe how strong they all are, and it's not just in their muscles."  
  
"It's in their hearts too, I know."  
  
"Yeah, well, actually, that is a muscle, technically...anyway, yeah."  
  
"You know, I grew up with people that had innate powers, but no one has ever put me in wonder before they came along. I knew what a slayer was, when they first started, but I never knew what they were like. And the vampires..."  
  
"They're unique. Even when they don't have souls, well, at least Spike was."  
  
"He amazes me daily."  
  
Dawn looked over to her, and noticed as her eyes followed the movements of the three fighters unfailingly.  
  
"Do you like him?"  
  
"Huh?" Keira asked, looking over at Dawn.  
  
"Spike, do you like him? You kinda seem to."  
  
"Well, I would consider him a friend..."  
  
"No, I mean, like him like him."  
  
"Oh, slang right...I...I don't know Dawn."  
  
Their conversation came to an abrupt end, however, when one of the swords that Spike and Angel had been using on each other came flying towards them and embedded itself point first into the ground right in front of Keira. Keira instinctively reached out to grab it, only by doing so, she crossed the barrier that her wristbands were set to, and she was thrown backwards, back into the fortress and hard against the stone floor.  
  
"Shit!!" she screamed, as she slowly lifted herself into a sitting position on the floor.  
  
Apparently, more than Dawn had heard this, because as she sat up, she saw three more worried faces show up in front of her.  
  
"You alright?" Spike asked.  
  
"Yeah, its just these stupid...grrrr!" she said, banging her metal clad wrist against the floor in frustration.  
  
She stood up, ignoring the offered hands and swept the dust off of herself with her hands. "I hate these stupid things!" she said to no one in particular.  
  
Keira walked away from them a few paces, but she stopped, took a deep breath, and slowly turned back around.  
  
"I'm sorry, it's just frustrating sometimes."  
  
"Hey, don't worry about it. We all have them." Buffy said.  
  
"Thanks. Look, it will be light soon, if you want to I could set something up, some food or something."  
  
"Sure, I'll help you." Buffy said.  
  
"Yeah, we'll get these things up, meet up with you when we're done." Spike said, picking up some of the weaponry they had been using.  
  
They all started walking in their separate directions. After they had only gone a few paces, Keira stopped suddenly and shivered.  
  
"You okay?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yeah, I just felt, I don't know, this cold feeling go up my spine and into my brain. It was probably nothing."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yeah, no problem."  
  
The next evening, the visitors all started off in their normal ways, except they could not find their host. For some reason, Keira seemed to be nowhere in sight.  
  
"You see, I knew there was something fishy going on here." Buffy started to say.  
  
"Calm down, Slayer, she has to be around here somewhere, we just haven't found her yet."  
  
"She really has done a number on you, Spike." Buffy countered.  
  
"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Its just that, I can tell that you like her. I mean, there's no jealousy on my part, but I think that your feelings might be a little misguided at the moment."  
  
"There is nothing wrong with my feelings, Buffy." Spike stated as calmly as he could, before leaving the room that they both had been in.  
  
Spike stopped in the hallway, closed his eyes, and took in a long, deep smell. He tried to find even a slight whiff of her sent, which was slightly of suede leather and the herbs that inhabited the island, lavender, he thought. He followed the sent throughout the building, his eyes mostly closed while doing so. He was letting his sense of smell lead him. He opened them when he realized that he felt the night air on his skin. When he did, he realized that he was on the terrace that he had talked to Keira on more than one occasion. He looked around, but still didn't see her. Hesitantly, he looked over the railing and down to the grown, a good way beneath him. He was relieved when he saw no body lying down there. Once again, he closed his eyes and sniffed the air. Her scent was stronger now; he knew that she had to be around here somewhere. Just then, he saw it, a makeshift ladder that lead to the roof of the building. He climbed it with ease and saw her standing there, her eyes closed and hands at her sides. Her ever-present cape was gone, and she had no shoes on, just her tunic and leggings. Her face had an almost pained expression on it.  
  
"Keira?" he asked tentatively.  
  
"Its almost here." She said, her voice soft and shaky. "I can feel it, it's so cold, evil. It hurts."  
  
"Its alright. We're ready. Come back in.," he said as soothingly as he could, leading her to the ladder.  
  
Spike descended first, and then made sure that Keira got down safely. He didn't have to ask her any more about any of it. He only had to look in her eyes to tell what she was feeling. 


	10. the battle

Disclaimer: Its Joss's world, we just play in it (aka, I don't own anything, Joss Whedon does, so please don't sue me, I am just doing this for my own enjoyment. There is no money involved, and trust me, I don't have any anyway. I mean, like, none.)  
  
Author's note: Wow, last chapter!! This is the first one that I have ever finished, I feel somewht accomplished. There is an epilogue, so don't forget to read that too. Thanks for all of the reviews, I am so glad that you like it!  
  
When they were all back in the central meeting room, the room that they seemed to use the most, and the room where the two vampires had awakened over a week ago, Keira sat in the corner. It almost looked like she was meditating, but there was a pained look on her face.  
  
Spike decided not to talk to Buffy at that moment. He was still a little sore about her not being very trusting towards Keira, and the fact that she blatantly disregarded his opinion on the subject. It was over an hour before Buffy couldn't take the glaring any more.  
  
"Spike, could I talk to you for a minute."  
  
"I suppose." He said reluctantly. He got up and followed her out of the room.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry about what I said, alright? Its just that, after fighting the first, and everything, it's a little hard to trust someone who just pops up out of the blue and says, 'hey, you're part of this big prophecy, come on, lets go fight!' You know what I mean."  
  
"I understand, Buffy." He said, leaning back against a wall. He then let out a small, self-deprecating chuckle.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You know, anyone else said anything to me, and I would've just told them to sod off. You are one of the only people that I care what they say to me. I never thought that would happen."  
  
"Really, I mean, you care what I say, I mean, my opinion?"  
  
"You really have to ask that? Course I do, Slayer, I have for a long time. The nibblet, she was the first friend that I have had in a long time, but you, I think you are probably the first best friend I have ever truly had. And you have never stopped believing in me. Ok, well, maybe for a short period of time there, but I kinda deserved that..."  
  
"Lets not go back into history. It was the past, remember, and you were totally different."  
  
"I know. I know."  
  
"Well, so here we are again, another ominous fight between good and evil, and once again we are the only ones that can save the world. You'd think by now they'd let us take a break or something."  
  
"Now, technically, isn't that what you were on, for the last year or so."  
  
"Oh alright, I guess it was, but still, we've saved the world more than once..."  
  
"True, but you know what they say, right?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Third time's a charm."  
  
"It better be."  
  
"C'mon, lets get back in there before Peaches blows a gasket. Seems to get even broodier whenever we leave the room by ourselves and he isn't invited."  
  
When they reentered the room, they saw Keira pacing back and forth, and Dawn and Angel watching her. It looked like they were at a tennis match, watching the ball being hit back and forth.  
  
"Keira, no offence or anything, but if you keep doing that, I think I am going to get dizzy." Dawn stated.  
  
"Oh, sorry." Keira said, sitting down once again.  
  
"Why don't you take your mind off of this whole, impending doom." Angel suggested.  
  
Keira sighed, "Alright."  
  
They all looked around at each other, hoping someone would start a conversation.  
  
"Ok, then," Spike stated, walking over to where Keira was and sitting down next to her, "Lets see if we can't get these things off."  
  
He reached out and grabbed her arm lightly. With his fingers and with vampire strength, he tried prying the wristbands off of her, only to get shocked and thrown a few inches away. "Bugger," he exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, I tried that once, nothing works. I hate these things, I just wish I could take them off and finally be free."  
  
"I understand that." He said comfortingly.  
  
"Thanks. What are your wishes?" she asked the others sitting around.  
  
"To be happy." Angel said quietly, looking down at his hands. "But to be more specific, I don't know, or know how."  
  
"Its hard to say." Buffy said, looking thoughtful. "Do we have to know what it is?"  
  
"I don't think so. But whatever it really is, that's what it will be."  
  
"That's a bit cryptic."  
  
"Sorry, these things rarely come in the easy to understand text."  
  
Suddenly, Keira became rigid again, and she shook uncontrollably.  
  
"What, what is it?" Spike asked.  
  
"They...they're here." She whispered.  
  
"Weapon's room." Angel stated.  
  
"Dawn, stay here with Keira." Buffy said, getting up and following Angel out.  
  
"But..." Dawn said.  
  
"Stay here, Bit." Spike said, bringing up the rear.  
  
"We should..." Dawn started.  
  
"Yeah, come on." Keira finished, knowing exactly what she was going to say.  
  
The two of them reached the doorway that led out of the fortress just as the three others ran out of it. They all saw huge billows of smoke descending from the cloudy sky in front of them. From within the smoke appeared the demons. The Wolf- a humanoid creature with red glowing eyes, pointed ears and razor-like teeth, the Ram- also humanoid, but with hard, curling horns that surrounded his grotesque face, and the Hart- humanlike and hideous, with large antlers atop his head.  
  
"Wait, there's only one!" Angel exclaimed, "And it has horns."  
  
"No, it has really nasty teeth." Buffy argued.  
  
"You're both wrong, it has antlers, and is bloody ugly."  
  
All three looked at each other, and ran towards the demon that they saw, all of them a different one. Dawn and Keira watched from the door, a look of surprise swept across Keira's face.  
  
"What, what is it?" Dawn asked.  
  
They both heard the voices, and suddenly realized what was happening:  
  
'Being the slayer made me different, but I chose to stay that way.'  
  
'I'm not known for being a thinker, I follow my blood...'  
  
'You have no idea what its like to do the things that I have done...and to care.'  
  
"They're fighting..." Dawn started.  
  
"Their weaknesses." Keira finished, once again.  
  
In nature, a lone wolf will live a solitary life, a ram will be stubborn, and a hart, a male deer, will follow instinct alone, and not think before he goes. The difference between what it is in nature, and what these demons were, was that an animal could change its behavior.  
  
As the champion's fought, visions of memories flooded their brains, of points when their weaknesses showed. To truly defeat this evil, they had to confront what it was about themselves that held them back. Every punch, every swing of their weapons, was met exactly by their opponent.  
  
"Oh, to hell with letting them fight this alone!" Keira said in frustration.  
  
With that, she tore off down the hallway. Dawn was quickly on her heals.  
  
"What are you going to do?" Dawn asked, when she reached the weapon's room, where Keira was.  
  
"I'm going to help." She said, grabbing six small, but very sharp, knives.  
  
The two then ran as fast as they could to the entrance. Upon reaching it, Keira took a deep breath, and two by two, with lightening speed, threw the knives at the eyes of the demons. The first two hit Buffy's adversary. "Trust in the strength of your friendships, you are not alone." Keira said in Buffy's mind.  
  
The next hit Angel's.  
  
"Let other's help carry your burden," is what Angel heard.  
  
And, then, it was Spike.  
  
"Think, Spike, just think."  
  
The demons were furious at the intersession of this outsider in their battle. The Wolf reached out his hand and made it so that Keira was lifted from the ground. She was now outside of the fortress, but the wristbands were not strong enough to repel the monster's dark magic. Next, the Ram slammed her body against the outside wall, and the Hart removed one of his large antlers from his head, and propelled it straight towards Keira's torso. Angel, Buffy and Spike all turned and saw what was happening, but none were able to stop it, no matter how much they tried. They all turned back, furious, the most of which was Spike, who started wailing in on his opponent. But, he kept hearing her words in his head, just think, just think. He stopped, if only for a moment, and looked up at the demon. Then, it hit him. With the sword that he had at his side, he swung it to throw the demon off his feat, and as he was going down, he grabbed the other antler. Before the Hart was able to stand again, he used the antler to stake him down to the ground, and used the sword to decapitate it. His movements were swift, calculated, and his foe had not expected it. The Hart decayed where it lay.  
  
Spike ran as fast as he could back to where Keira and Dawn were. Dawn was trying to stop the bleeding where the antlers had impaled the other, but it was no use.  
  
"It's not healing, why isn't it healing?" he asked.  
  
"Look," Dawn said, pointing to the one wristband, which was cracked and barely on. Angel glanced over to his right, where Spike had been fighting. It was now that he saw the corpse of the other demon, the one that he had not seen before. He also saw the sword that had been left abandoned on the ground. With cat-like movements, he slid over and grabbed the other sword, so that now he held two weapons, the other a battleaxe that he had had before. Using both of them, he swung furiously at the Ram, and successfully disarmed it of its own weapons, and proceeded to cut its body in half.  
  
Buffy thought of all the people she knew, and everything that they had taught her throughout her life as she fought her antagonist. The two of them were already fighting hand to hand, their weapons having been discarded early in the intercourse, and it seemed that when every memory of her friends came to her, she got that much stronger, and she had gained the upper hand. Now, the beast was down on the ground, and Buffy struck the final blow, clearly breaking the demon's neck. He turned into dust in front of her. Angel and Buffy ran toward the other three, but stopped a few feet short when they saw what was happening. Spike was kneeling next to Keira, her head now rested in his lap. Dawn still sat there, her hands still futilely trying to stop the bleeding.  
  
"You did it William, I'm proud of you, all of you." Keira said, weakly.  
  
"Thanks to you, love. Don't worry, you're gonna be fine." He said, through tears that he willed not to shed.  
  
Keira smiled, but her eyes closed.  
  
"No," Spike said, "No! That's not fair! Do you hear me!? She doesn't deserve this, it's not fair!!" he yelled, looking up to the sky  
  
A small glow started to come from Keira's body, and she began to be lifted up from the ground. Spike's face was covered by his hands. Buffy and Angel started to walk to them, but a flash of light hitting their eyes made them stop.  
  
After the flash, Buffy saw, instead of her surroundings, all of her friends and her sitting around in a cozy living room, enjoying each other's company. Xander was there, and Willow, Dawn, Giles, even Angel and Spike. But, just as soon as the vision had appeared, it left, and she was once again on the island, looking at Keira's floating, lifeless body. Angel saw something completely different. He could see people he knew all around him, it almost looked like it could have been a party, and Connor came up to him, smiled, and gave him a hug, he felt warm inside. And then, just like Buffy, he was back on the island.  
  
Keira, surrounded by the mystical light, came back to consciousness and heard a whispered voice.  
  
"And what is your wish?" it said.  
  
"My what?" she thought back.  
  
"Your wish. You helped good prevail. What is your wish?"  
  
"I..." she started.  
  
Then she saw what Angel and Buffy has seen, and she heard what Spike kept muttering to himself, 'Let her live, she deserves it,'  
  
"They, they all wished for something for others, happiness, friendship, its all something that they share. I, I wish for their humanity. Let Spike and Angel be human again. They've earned it. And let Buffy live again, really live."  
  
"As you wish." The voice said.  
  
With that, Keira's eyes opened, and she descended to the ground, the light was gone. Angel stopped, surprised, when he suddenly felt a pulse and his heart beating. He took in a deep breath, and he needed to expel it. Buffy ran over to Spike and Dawn, who was now next to Spike, her arm around his shoulder. She was trying to get him to open his eyes.  
  
"Spike, Spike!" Dawn repeated.  
  
"No, just," he muttered, still not looking.  
  
Buffy looked at Keira's shocked face, a bit astonished herself at what had just happened in front of her. Buffy shook her head and turned her attention to Spike.  
  
"Hey, Spike, c'mon William," she said, shaking his shoulder.  
  
"That's it," he said, looking down at the ground, "What's the use of being good if the people you care about either leave or die."  
  
"Of for goodness sake, Spike, look up." Keira said, walking closer to them and crouching down in front of the three.  
  
Spike jumped at the sound of her voice, and looked up in surprise.  
  
"Keira, but, I thought...you were dead."  
  
"Yeah, so where you." She said, smiling.  
  
"Huh?" he asked.  
  
At that moment, he realized that he was breathing, and that he needed to. In astonishment, he touched his face and his chest, and felt the warmth return to his skin and the beating of his very own heart.  
  
"What?" he said again, dumbfounded.  
  
"You never were the smartest one in the group." Angel said, joining the rest of them.  
  
"Angel." The three women admonished him  
  
Buffy shook her head, and then looked at Keira, "So, what just happened, after we fought, I saw, something."  
  
"Me too." Angel said.  
  
"Those were your wishes. Which, I believe, have come true."  
  
"Wait, I didn't see anything." Spike said, confused.  
  
"You kept muttering to let me live. That's why I'm here right now." She whispered to him, smiling.  
  
Spike smiled back. "So, how am I human?"  
  
Keira's smile got even wider. "Because, that was my wish. For you, Angel, and Buffy. I wished for you three to really live, you all deserve it more than anything."  
  
Keira, Dawn, Spike and Buffy stood up. Spike gave Keira a warm hug, and then put his arm around Dawn. He looked over at Buffy and smiled gratefully at her. All five of them stood there, in an amiable silence. Well, for a moment, anyway.  
  
"Um, I hate to break the whole party feeling we got going on here, but, how do we get off of the island. The ship disappeared." Buffy asked, looking around.  
  
Keira smiled even brighter. "I know." She said.  
  
She ran towards the door, but stopped a few feet short. "Wait a minute, am I outside?"  
  
"Yeah," Dawn said.  
  
"Wait, that means..."  
  
"The spell's broken." Spike said, smiling back at her. "See, I told you we'd get those things off of you."  
  
"Though, that was probably due more to getting thrown against the wall." Angel said, thoughtfully.  
  
"Hey, any way is a good way." Keira said, entering the building that had once held her captive.  
  
She was only gone a few moments before she ran back out, a small bag in her hand.  
  
"What is it?" Buffy asked.  
  
"A signal." Keira said, retrieving three small, bright white stones from the bag. She took them in her one hand, and with all of her strength, she threw them high into the air.  
  
"So, what kind of signal is that?" Buffy asked.  
  
"You'll see, in a few minutes." Keira answered.  
  
And she was right. Within a few moments, three griffons, two large, one smaller, came flying down, and landed right in front of the five people standing there.  
  
"Wow, what are those?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Um, I'm guessing those are the griffons?" Angel said.  
  
"You'd be correct."  
  
"Wait, how'd it get in the fortress, they're the size of elephants?" Spike said incredulously.  
  
"Well, Brutus here, that's the really big one, he's pretty agile. He kinda half floated over by the balcony."  
  
"He's the one that brought us here?" Angel asked, walking up to the large, beautiful creature and tentatively putting his hand out to touch it.  
  
Brutus nuzzled his hand.  
  
"Yup. The other large one is his mate, Hestia, and, is that little Rufus?" Keira said, the last part directed to the male griffon.  
  
Brutus nodded his head.  
  
"Oh, he's gotten so big, he looks just like you." Keira stated.  
  
"Their child, I'm guessing." Angel said.  
  
"Yeah. He's a sweet little thing."  
  
As if he was demonstrating what Keira had just said, Rufus walked up to Dawn and nuzzled her shoulder. Even though he was still quite young, he was already the size of a horse.  
  
"Well, looks like you just made a friend." Keira said to Dawn.  
  
"Oh, he's so cute!" Dawn exclaimed, petting the little griffon.  
  
"They'll take you wherever you want to go." Keira said, backing away from the group. "Just tell them where."  
  
Keira turned away from them then, and tried her hardest not to start crying. She knew that this was going to be the last time that she ever saw them. But just when she thought that they were on their way, she felt two hands rest on her shoulders.  
  
"Hey, Stripes, what is it?"  
  
"Nothing, Spike, I'm fine." She said through the lump in her throat.  
  
"No you're not." He said, turning her around.  
  
"I'm, I'm just going to miss you all so much..."  
  
"Hey, what are all the tears for?" Buffy said, walking over to them.  
  
"Its nothing...I'm just going to miss all of you when..."  
  
"What do you mean?" Buffy asked. "Aren't you going to come along?"  
  
"Huh?" she asked, surprised.  
  
"Don't you want to?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Of course, I mean, I wasn't going to presume..."  
  
"Nonsense." Spike said, and then he leaned towards her ear and whispered, "I couldn't just leave you here."  
  
Keira really started crying now, but they were tears of joy instead of sorrow. She threw her arms around Spike and hugged him tightly.  
  
"Ok, there, I need my lungs now, you know." He said, chuckling.  
  
Keira smiled as she let him go, but before she did, she brought her hands up to the sides of his face and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.  
  
"Oh, sorry, I keep doing that." She said, slightly embarrassed.  
  
Buffy looked as though she was trying not to laugh, and Spike had a surprised, but not unpleasant look on his face.  
  
"Thank you Buffy." Keira said, hugging her too.  
  
"Ok, but no kissing." She joked.  
  
"Ok, I won't."  
  
"So, are you three coming with us, or not?" Angel asked, walking over to the group, Dawn close behind him.  
  
"Yeah, we're coming." Buffy said.  
  
"Anything you want from in there?" Spike asked, motioning towards the old building.  
  
"Well, maybe..." she said, and then she walked over to Brutus, "Could you three wait a few minutes?"  
  
The griffon chortled and nodded his head.  
  
She entered the building and picked up only a few things, some of the weapons that she had made all those years ago, and the large book that was her only constant companion for a millennium. When she got back out, she saw that everyone was ready to leave. Angel and Buffy were already on Hestia, and Dawn was on Rufus.  
  
"C'mon then." Spike said, motioning towards Brutus, of whom he was already sitting atop.  
  
Keira smiled and rushed towards the griffon. Spike held out his hand and helped her up onto the animal's back.  
  
"So, are we ready?" Angel asked.  
  
"I think so." Dawn said.  
  
"So, where are we going?" Keira asked.  
  
"How about LA?" Buffy said.  
  
"Sounds good to me." Keira said, smiling.  
  
"LA it is." Angel said, "Uh, how do you get these guys to move?"  
  
"Easy, just tell them to." Keira said, suppressing a laugh.  
  
With a word, they were airborne, flying high in the night sky. It wasn't long before they saw a light starting to come up over the horizon in front of them.  
  
"Keira, that's..." Spike said in a stunned voice, tapping her hand, which was around his waist.  
  
"Sunrise." She finished, smiling at the man in front of her.  
  
"Its...its beautiful." He said quietly.  
  
It sure is."  
  



	11. epilogue, a new beginning?

Disclaimer: Its Joss's world, we just play in it (aka, I don't own anything, Joss Whedon does, so please don't sue me, I am just doing this for my own enjoyment. There is no money involved, and trust me, I don't have any anyway. I mean, like, none.)  
  
Author's Note: Wow, I've enjoyed writing this so much that I am thinking of having my own little web-series. It'd be the spin-off of Buffy and Angel, and in Cleaveland. If anyone is interested, please email me at: Phillygirl1980yahoo.com. Oh yeah, and one more thing, anyone who is reading this that is from around Philadelphia, I was wondering if I was the only one who thinks that David Boreanaz, whose father is a local weather-man here, actually looks a lot like his father. Oh well, just wondering. Thank you all for reading this and for all of your reviews, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have finished it. You guys rock. Later!  
  
Epilogue  
  
When they reached LA, it was already mid morning. After searching for the remains of their comrades in arms, Iliria and Gunn, they consulted the book, which told them that they were in fact, still alive, something that shocked the two men. It had only been a week and a half, and when they found the hospital that they had been taken to, they found that they were still pretty beaten up, lying in the ICU. Tentatively, Spike and Angel went in to visit them, which shocked the other's considering they thought that they had died in the fight. A long time had been spent in the rooms, talking to the two friends who had seen them through one of the toughest battles they had fought, and they told them everything that had happened since they last saw each other.  
  
The next journey was going to be an even tougher one. The two once vampires went to the grave that had been given to Wesley. The women went as well, Buffy because she knew the man, her once Watcher, Dawn and Keira for support. The latter two stood off to the side while the three went up to pay their respects to the man they all considered a friend, who has laid down his life for the greater good. He was surely going to be missed. It was quiet as they made their way to the hotel that they would be spending the night in.  
  
"For once, I'm glad I got paid so well working for the firm." Angel had commented as the made their way up to the suite that was assigned to them.  
  
Their day had been long, so after getting a quick bite to eat, they all retired to their rooms for a much needed nights rest. Buffy was up first the next morning, followed quickly by her sister and Keira. They had all ordered room service and were sitting down and enjoying their breakfast when the first male decided to make an appearance. Spike walked out of his room, clad only in his trademark black jeans, his hair a mass of blonde curls atop his head. He yawned and scratched the back of his head as he walked towards the women. Buffy and Dawn suppressed giggles at his appearance, and Keira just raised her eyebrows.  
  
"Something smells good."  
  
"Pancakes." Keira said brightly as he sat down across from her at the table where they all were.  
  
Spike picked up her fork, which had been placed on her plate, and took a bite of her breakfast.  
  
"Mmm, "he said, approvingly. "Wow, I'm really hungry."  
  
"Well, considering you haven't really eaten food for nourishment in, oh decades, that's kinda not surprising." Dawn stated, hiding her fork from him.  
  
Spike picked up the room service menu and scanned it.  
  
"Angel's paying for this, right?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah," Buffy said.  
  
"Good." Spike answered, a grin creeping on his face as he reached for the telephone.  
  
Over an hour later, Angel exited his room, actually dressed and looking a little more presentable than Spike had. What he saw on the table, though, made him stop in his tracks. Scattered on it were plates upon plates of pancakes, waffles, one looked as though it had once been occupied by an omelet, and Spike was just finishing up a muffin, which looked like it was probably his third.  
  
"Hungry?" Angel asked him, looking at the carnage.  
  
"Not any more, sit down, there's still some left somewhere."  
  
"I can't believe he ate that much." Keira said.  
  
"I can't believe he's still eating." Buffy commented.  
  
"I can't believe I have to pay for all of this." Angel stated.  
  
"Oh relax there's still some left, go on, eat up." Spike said in a rather jovial voice as he reached for one of the untouched plates of waffles.  
  
"I better now before there isn't any left." Angel said, reaching for a plate himself and sitting down.  
  
"Well, as much as we would like to watch you all stuff you're faces all morning, we have some shopping to do." Dawn said.  
  
"Really? Why?" Angel asked, looking up from his plate.  
  
"Well, lets see, most of our clothes were left in Italy and are going to take a while to get back here, and Keira here has only one thing to wear, which is, no offense, kind of outdated." Buffy stated.  
  
"None taken." Keira said. "But, don't you need money to buy things?"  
  
"Angel, could we borrow your credit card?" Buffy said as sweetly as possible.  
  
"Wait, how does a vampire get a credit card?" Keira asked.  
  
"A dog could get a credit card these days, love." Spike answered.  
  
"Gee, thanks." Angel commented, giving Spike a slight look of disgust. "Oh, alright, just don't go all crazy with it, ok?" He said, handing over the card to Buffy.  
  
"Thanks." She said, kissing him on the cheek. "We'll be back later." She added, as the three of them left.  
  
Later turned out to be in five hours, and when the girls did return to the hotel, bags upon bags being carried by each of them, they found both men lying on the couches in the middle of the main room, holding their stomachs.  
  
"I don't think I could move even if the ground opened up beneath me." Angel said.  
  
"Ugh, "Spike groaned, "I don't think I'll ever eat again."  
  
"How did I know they were going to do this?" Buffy asked, as she walked in and looked at the two.  
  
"Hi." They both managed to say.  
  
The boys seemed to have learned their lessons the next day, and they both ate a simple breakfast instead of gorging themselves. Keira was one of the last to show, but that wasn't because she slept that long. It took her over an hour to decide what she would wear. It surprised her that she was that concerned with it, but she realized that after not having to worry about clothing for the last thousand years, trying to figure out what to wear next was a bit confusing for her. When she finally decided on what to put on and she exited her room, she found everyone sitting around discussing what their next option was.  
  
"You know, I kind of miss slaying." Buffy stated.  
  
"Yeah, those were the simple days, huh?" Angel said.  
  
"For you, maybe." Spike said quietly. "But yeah, it was a lot better than working for hell's attorneys."  
  
"So, what does this mean, what are we going to do next?" Keira asked, walking up to them.  
  
"Oh, hey, we didn't hear you come in." Dawn said.  
  
"S'ok, I was trying to not interrupt."  
  
"You look nice." Spike said, smiling at her and making a spot for her to sit next to him. She gladly took it. "Thanks." She said, blushing.  
  
"Well, what do you all think about Ohio?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Ohio?" They all asked in unison.  
  
"Ohio."  
  
THE END, FOR NOW 


End file.
